Albourne Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Consultation
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ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL Albourne Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Draft - September 2014 Note: This document is available as follows: On the Parish Council website: www.albourneparishcouncil.co.uk Paper copies for inspection at Albourne Village Hall, by prior appointment only, through 01273 833978 or 01273 835382 For inspection at the Neighbourhood Plan Open Sessions to be held at the Village Hall on Sunday, 2nd November 2014 (12am to 2pm), and on Tuesday 11th November (7pm to 9pm). Additionally there will be a static display at the Albourne Apple Day to be held at the Village Hall from 11am on 26th October 2014. Paper copies for purchase (£4.00) on request through 01273 833978 or 01273 835382 Page 1 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – Consultation Draft Version - SEPTEMBER 2014 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Background and general policies 3. Countryside, landscape and conservation 4. Housing 5. Economy and Employment 6. Transport 7. Amenities 8. Schedule of evidence 9. Maps 10. Addendum Page 2 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – Consultation Draft Version - SEPTEMBER 2014 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL 1. Introduction: Albourne Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan covers the whole Parish area for the period up to 2031. It sets out the development principles and allocation of areas for future building and land use. This CONSULTATION DRAFT Plan has been produced under the authority of the Localism Act 2011 which empowers parish councils and similar community groups to produce their own development plans. The plans, having been subject to rigorous tests to ensure that they comply with the relevant planning law and guidelines, and subject to the support from a local public referendum, then become the local planning guidance for the parish area. All subsequent planning applications would be tested against the policies in this Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan process is: (A) This CONSULTATION DRAFT Plan is published for public consultation (for a minimum 6 week period) and anybody is able to comment on any aspect. Please send your comments by email to [email protected] or by mail to The Clerk to the Council, Albourne Parish Council, Jordans Cottage, Street Lane, Ardingly. RH17 6UB. COMMENTS SHOULD BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 12NOON ON MONDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2014. (B) The Parish Council will consider the responses and make any adjustments it agrees are appropriate. The SUBMISSION Plan is then produced. (C) This SUBMISSION Plan is lodged with the Local Planning Authorities, Mid Sussex District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority. If approved it will then be published for a further 6-week public consultation period. (D) The SUBMISSION Neighbourhood Plan will then be assessed by an independent examiner, appointed by Mid Sussex District Council, and with the agreement of South Downs National Park Authority. This tests the legal correctness and conformity of the Plan, to ensure that it has properly considered other existing and formally adopted planning documents. (E) If approved, the Plan will be put to a public referendum of the electors of the Parish. The Plan will be formally adopted if it is supported by over 50% of those voting. The question for the referendum will be: ‘Do you want Mid Sussex District Council and South Downs National Park Authority to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Albourne Parish area to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area ?’ Following this process and its expected timetable, it is hoped that the public referendum will be in the first half of 2015. Page 3 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – Consultation Draft Version - SEPTEMBER 2014 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL 2. Background and general policies 2.1. Public consultation and feedback The Parish Council decided in 2011 to proceed with producing its own Neighbourhood Plan. In early 2012 we sent out questionnaires to the whole Parish area, outlining a range of policy options and seeking specific feedback on the parish, the future of housing, and the countryside & heritage. We asked some basic questions about how people wanted to see their community in the future, and received some very helpful feedback. We have also pulled together a lot of information about our village and our countryside. A total of 250 responses to the questionnaire were received and these were collated, with the results being presented at a Public Meeting in May 2012, at which further feedback was received. This input has formed a major part of the evidence base which the Parish Council has used to develop the policies in this Plan. Key themes from the feedback: Protect the countryside Avoid coalescence of the existing villages, keep countryside gaps Prevent “inappropriate” development Deal with traffic congestion and road safety issues Ensure enough school places 2.2. Strategic Objectives As a result of all these consultations and surveys the Parish Council has adopted the following Strategic Objectives. These statements will be used to test every policy in this Plan: Strategic Objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan Keeping the “village-feel” and sense of place Protecting and enhancing the environment Promoting economic vitality and diversity Ensuring cohesive and safe communities Supporting h ealthy lifestyles (NOTE: These objectives are consistent with MSDC emerging draft District Plan M a y 2013 Paragraph 2.11- Strategic objectives for the District Plan.) 2.3. Sustainability Appraisal As part of the gathering of evidence and the consultation with other authorities, the Parish Council has published its Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (January 2013) and is publishing Sustainability Appraisal (March 2014), which contains the methodology and data analysis from which this Plan has been prepared. The Sustainability Appraisal is a ‘live’ document and has been continuously updated. Page 4 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – Consultation Draft Version - SEPTEMBER 2014 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL 2.4. Built-up areas The map which forms part of this Plan (Section 9) defines the ‘built-up area’ for Albourne. The area outside this is ‘countryside’. Where relevant, the policies of the Mid Sussex District Local Plan (2004) shall apply to these areas. 2.5. Other Plans and policy frameworks The Neighbourhood Plan has to conform with and take account of the policies produced by senior and neighbouring authorities. We have consulted with and taken account of the following: 1. Mid Sussex District Council – Local Plan 2004 2. National Planning Policy Framework 2012 3. West Sussex County Council – Waste Local Plan (Submission Draft - November 2012) 4. South Downs National Park Authority – emerging policies 5 Woodmancote Parish Council emerging Neighbourhood Plan 6. Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common Parish Council Submitted Neighbourhood Plan 7. Twineham Parish Council emerging Neighbourhood Plan 8. West Sussex County Council – Minerals Local Plan (2003) 2.6. Policies and Aims In line with emerging standard practice and based on feedback received on our Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Document, some of our original policy options do not directly relate to land use or development and should therefore not be part of a Neighbourhood Plan. However, since these are considered to be reasonable aspirations of the Parish Council, they should be included as such in this Consultation Draft Plan. They are therefore included as “AIMS”. Page 5 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – Consultation Draft Version - SEPTEMBER 2014 ALBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL 3. Countryside, landscape and conservation 3.1. Countryside area of development restraint The Countryside of the Parish is defined as all that area outside the defined built-up areas, as shown on the proposals maps. The southern part of the Parish area is in the South Downs National Park and the planning policies of the Park Authority will prevail. The remainder of the Parish area is within the Low Weald area, largely under agricultural management, and interspersed with woodland, hedgerows, copses, and minor ponds and watercourses. The random pattern of small fields of the area, contributes to the landscape character and the diversity of flora and fauna. The countryside also contributes to the definition and setting of the built-up area. POLICY Countryside - C1: C o n s e r v i n g and enhancing character: Development, including formal sports and recreation areas, will be permitted in the countryside, defined as the areas outside the built-up boundary shown on the policy map where: It is necessary for the purposes of agriculture, or some other use which has to be located in the countryside; It maintains, or where possible enhances, the quality of the rural and landscape character of the Parish area; It is supported by a specific policy reference elsewhere in this Plan. (NOTE: Policy consistent with NPPF Section 11 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment) (NOTE: Policy consistent with MSDC Local Plan 2004 P o l i c y C1 – Protection and enhancement of countryside.) 3.2. South Downs National Park The South West corner of the Parish lies within the South Downs National Park for which new planning policies are being developed through the emerging South Downs National Park Local Plan 2014. The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) has also adopted the Partnership Management Plan (2014-2019). This sets out how the SDNPA will work with its partners to conserve and enhance this special place and manage change on a sustainable basis.